Washing-machine.



PATENTBD 061,18, 19o-4.

.J- W'. BALFOUR.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DB0 e 190s ooaooooooooooonoooooooeoc oooooQoooeooooooooooooooo 0.000000000000009 ooooooooooooouaoacooooooodoo `OSO0000000090000OUOGQOQOOO OOOOGOOOGQOQ00040000006600000909 No MODEL.

-i UNITEDv STA-TES Patented october 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WASHING-MACHINE.

.SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,493, dated October 18, 1904;

Application filed December 9, 1903.` Serial No. 184,441. (No model.) i

.To all U17/1,0711, it may concern:

Be it known that I,J nFFERsoN WALTON BAL- Stateof Mississippi, have inventeda new and useful ViTashing-Machine, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to washing-machines, more particularly to the class wherein a tank for the wash-water is employed, with means for heating the water therein4 and provided with a rotating perforated receptacle for. the

clothes, and Vhas for its object to improve thev construction and operation and expedite the process of washing; and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described, and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the inven-l tion, 1n which .corresponding parts are denoted The improvedr apparatus comprises a tank 10 of any desired form and capacityv for the wash-water and havinga furnace 11 beneath it,by Which the' necessary heat may be imparted thereto. The walls of the tank are extended downwardly to form the side and end walls for the furnace, as shown. The bottom of the furnace comprises the depressed portion 12, forming the fireplace at one'side, and the elevated portion 13, forming the passage for the smoke and other products of combustion and connected by the vertical portion 14 and leading to the smoke-flue 15, as shown. The portions '13 and 14 are preferably in onesingle' piece of sheet metal united to theportion 12 and secured detachably in place by a. bolt 16 and buttons 17, as indicated. The portions 12 and '14 are protected bydetachable lire-plates 18 19, preferably corrugated,.which may be readily renewed when burned out. The fire-door is located at one end, as'at 20, while the front of the tacle.

vion 40, as shown.

fireplace is also provided with a hinged door 21, having the usual draft-slide 22. FOUR, acitizen of the United States,residing at Abbeville, in the county of Lafayette Aand When wood is employed for fuel, the lireplace will be supplied with the fire-plates 18 19 only; but when coal is'employed as fuel an extra removable grate, as at 23, will be supplied. The Agrate 23 is provided at its ends with legs 52 53, by which it is supported above the bottom member 18 to provide for a draft bene-ath the grate, and also with a front longitudinal rib 54 to confine the .fuel and prevent its escape when the door 21 is opened. By this simple arrangement, whereby the bottom/member may be quicklyy and easily detached, the device may be adapted for wood or coal, as required.

Suspended within the tank 1'0 is a framework comprising a longitudinal portion-24 and vertical end members 25 26, the latter bifurcated and terminating in hooks 27 28, spaced apart and adapted to detachably engage the upper rim of the tank at the ends, as shown. The portions 25 26 of the frame are provided, respectively, with bearings 29 30 to receive trunnions 31 32, centrally disposed upon spaced disks 33 34, connected by a web 35 of perforated material, the end disks and web forming the receptacle for the clothes to be Washed, which is rotative on the trunnions, as will be obvious. The web 35 is provided With a hinged portion 36, by which the clothes may be inserted into and removed from the recep- The section forming the cover 36 is provided with a binding-strip 37, having its -ends turned at right angles and projecting over the end membersv 33 34 and perforated and engaging pins or studs 38 39 on the end disks, the turned ends having suiiicient resili-v ency to cause them to retain their places upon the pins and prevent accidental displacement. The trunnion 32 is provided with a gear-pin# Detachably connected to thetank 10 is a gear-supporting frame comprising spaced members 41 42, embracing opposite sides of the rim of the tank adjacent to the member 26 and its hooks 28 and connected to the tank, as by bolts 43 44 or other suitable l easily-removable means. 'The frame 41 42 is provided with a lateral sleeve 45 forming a bearing for a shaft 46, having on one end a gear-wheel 47 for engagement with the pinion and on the other end an operating-crank 48, as shown. The tank 10 is provided with a swinging cover 49, hinged at one side, as at 50, and with detachable catches 5l at the other side, as shown. A draw-off valve 55 will be attached to the tank at a suit-able point. By this simple means the receptacle can be readily removed from the tank when required by merely disconnecting the two bolts 43 44, removing the gear-supporting frame, and lifting the frame 24, 25, and 26 and its connected receptacle from the tank. By this means the tank and other parts may be readily cleansed and thoroughly dried and aired, so that no accumulation of dirt or other foreign matter will adhere thereto between the washings. Another great advantage of this construction is found in the fact that the receptacle for the clothes may be entirely submerged in the tank, thereby obtaining the full benefit of a large body of water and securing thereby a more thorough and rapid action than could be obtained by a partially-submerged receptacle.

The material employed will preferably be of sheet-steel or other metal, and the parts exposed to the water and detergent elements will be galvanized or otherwise protected from oxidizing inliuence.

The parts may be of any suitable size to adapt the machine for use wherever required, and is thus adaptable for use in small or large families or for the largest laundries or hotels, and may likewise be employed in manufacturing establishments where fabrics of various kinds or other objects or material are to be subjected to the action of water or other liquids, either heated or otherwise. The machine is thus adapted to a wide range of uses, and I do not therefore desire to be limited in any manner in its use and reserve the right to its use in any locality or for any purpose for which it is adapted, and I also reserve the right to make such alterations and modifications as will fall within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In a washing-machine, an outer tank, a hanger-frame comprising a longitudinal portion having vertical end portions terminating in spaced hooks for detachable engagement with the rim of the tank, said vertical portions having intermediate bearings, a receptacle for the clothes having trunnions for rotativeI engagement with said bearings, and means carried by said tank for imparting motion to said receptacle, substantially as described.

2. In a washing-machine, a tank, hangers having hooked upper terminals removably embracing the upper edge of the tank, a clothes-receptacle rotatably supported by the hangers, and a removable cover for the tank, said cover engaging the hangers to prevent displacement thereof during the operation of the machine.

3. In a washing-machine, a tank, hangers having hooked upper ends detachably eml iracing the upper edge of the tank, a clothes-receptacle having trunnions rotatably mounted upon the hangers, a pinion upon one of the trunnions, a gear-wheel supported upon the top of the tank and provided with operating' means, and a removable cover .for the tank, said cover engaging the upper ends of the hangers to prevent accidental displacement thereof during the operation of the machine and also having an opening for the reception of the gear.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my Own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JEFFERSON WAI/FON IMLFOUR.

Witnesses:

C. L. SIvLnY, IV. A. MoDoNALn. 

